Plastic bobby pin



' Patented June 19, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT mm;

PLASTIC BOBBY PIN Samuel Berman and Vincent J. Macaluso, Bayonne, N. J.

Application April 29, 1944, Serial No. 533,375

6 Claims. (Cl. 132-50) This invention relates to plastic bobby pins.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved plastic bobby pin adapted to maintain its shape and resilience to a high degree.

It is well known that plastic materials have relatively little resilience and tend to return to initial shape rather slowly, providing that the elastic limit has not been exceeded. But since the elastic limit is low, a plastic bobby pin would remain permanently distorted if subjected to the deformations that are normal in the use of a spring steel bobby pin. This applies especially to plastics that are used in the inexpensive process of injection molding. For these reasons it appeared at first that the provision of a plastic bobby pin was a diflicult if not an impossible problem.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a plastic bobby pin having improved means to avoid the difilculties mentioned and to provide an inexpensive article adapted to be made up in difierent attractive colors to suit the hair of the wearer.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention .to provide a bobby pin consisting in the main of plastic material with improved metallic spring means connected thereto so as to supply a major portion of the required resilient range of deformation, thus assuring that any deformation in the plastic material shall be well within its elastic limit, and the metallic portion being so small as to be relatively inconspicuous. In such a bobby pin the plastic material may furnish a body which is in one piece or which may be split so that the legs are separated and interconnected only by the metallic spring. The latter may be connected to the legs of the bobby pin by embedment therein or by releasable or permanent means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention comprises the novel features, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an enlarged side view of a bobby pin embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are enlarged sectional views taken respectively on lines 44, 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a further enlarged fragmentary side view of a modified bobby pin.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side view of another modification. I

Fig. 10 is a view in end elevation of the spring thereof.

Fig. 11 is a view in elevation of the closed, opposite end of the spring.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side view of still another modification.

Fig. 13 is a view in end elevation thereof.

The advantages of the invention as .here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined but, useful embodiments may be produced involving less than the whole.

. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appextains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing a preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing l5 denotes a bobby pin embodying the invention. The same may include a molded hair clasping member which comprises opposed legs l6, ll of which preferably at least one is formed with orimps. These legs may be interconnected by an integral loop portion 18 although this may be split as shown in Fig. 12, or may even be wholly eliminated-except as it may be used to assist in connecting a metallic spring loop element ill to the legs 15 and I1. This element I9 may externally embrace the loop portion l8, although it may also be embedded therein as in Fig. 7 or lie internally thereof as in Fig. 9. Securing the extensions or arms of the loop element to the legs I6, l1 or at least to the arms of the loop portion :IB is an improved means located at 20 and at two points I eral shifting of the loop element Ill. The diil'erence is more readily apparent by considering.

that the means 20 is assembledxor engaged'by a movement of the expanded loop spring leftward deform under control of the spring'metal.

in Fig. 1 axially of the bobby pin, after which the loop element is merely released for interengagement at 2|, 22 under the resilient pressure exerted by the loop element l9 against the legs I5, l1. Thus a very simple structure permits a very rapid assembling by a snap action locking engagement.

It i intended that the resilience required for the ample opening or deformation of the hobby pin to receive a tuft of hair shall be supplied mainly'by the loop element l 9; of course some de-.

fiection of the legs l6, I! will occur, but this is secondary and in any case should be well within the elastic limit of the plastic material in order that the bobby pin shall always be adapted to return to initial position. Accordingly, the legs l6; I! may be made with sumcient body for the required stiffness. For example, the leg I 6 may have a longitudinal central integral rib 24 at least within the depressions thereof, although it may also extend over the humps of the crimped leg as in Figs. '7 and 9. Also the leg I! may be suitably thickened, but greater stiffening is needed for the leg l6 because of its effective greater length due to its crimped shape. Fur- .ther, the straight sides of the loop portion 3 may be thickened to avoid undue bending and strain thereof. It is thus seen that the hobby pin l5 assures a relatively uniform clamping action on the hair, instead of as heretofore, since the main resilient force is concentrated in the loop element l9. Of course the loop portion l8 may be so thin as not to materially restrain or affect the action of the element l9.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a modified bobby pin 25 according to the invention. The same may comprise a member having legs 28 21 of plastic material, inwhich is embedded at least part of a metallic spring loop 28. Preferably said member also includes a loop portion 29 joining the legs and encasing the spring loop. Preferably, one side of the loop is substantially longer than the other as shown at 28a and extending for substantially the entire length of the leg 21, the material of which may be quite thin so as to readily To the contrary the leg 26 is intendedtobe almost rigid, having a rib 30 like that at 24 but also continuing over the external'points of the crimps as at 3|. In fact this rib may continue at 32 up to the curved portion of the loop. It has been found to be a material improvement to prevent outward lateral deformation of the crimped leg, as it tends to reduce thedepth of the crlmps and hence the holding power of the hobby pin on the hair. the legs be concentrated in the straight leg. In this respect the device 25 may be considered to possess an advantage over that at l5 because the loop need be relied upon for a lesser degree of resilience; or, diiferently stated, the resilience may be spread over a greater length of the bobby pin to include the leg 21 as well as the loop. The

thickness of the plastic material may be varied so that more or less of the resilience may occur per unit of lineal length of the loop as compared with that in the leg 21, per unit of its length. The spring 23 suitably crimped or straight may be extended through the leg 28 or rib thereof.

The bobby pin 25 may be made by injection molding as by suitably placing the loop element in the die and then molding the plastic to complete the article.

In Figs. 9 to 11 is shown another modified bobby pin having legs 34, 35 of plastic material It is therefore better that any resilience in interconnected by a plastic loop portion 33 within which is disposed a metallic loop spring 31 secured at points 38, 39, 40. The securement at 38 may be like that at but the securement at 38, 40 may be afforded by striking prongs 4| and inserting them through holes in the legs, after which the projecting ends of the prongs are bent or headed over externally of the legs so that the spring is operative to pull the legs together for clamping on a tuft of hair. The device 33 thus illustrates the reverse mounting of the spring as compared with the device l5, but its ribbed formation for the crimped leg may be as in the device 25.

In Figs. 12 and 13 is shown a modified bobby pin 42 which may be like that at l5 except that the loop Portion 43 between the legs 44, 45 is split at 46. In other words, the legs 44, 45 may be separately molded and then interconnected by the metallic spring loop 41 at points 43, 49, 50, 5|, so that there are two points of connection for each leg to prevent any lateral orangular shifting, the engaging means at the points mentioned being like those in the device l5. If desired the legs may pivot or bear on each other at the split 46. Thus excessive strain on the plastic at the loop is avoided, and if desired, the plastic may also be omitted at the curve of the loop element 28. A stiffening rib 52 may be provided.

We claim:

1. A device including a bobby pin having a member comprising opposed legs of plastic material, a metallic loop spring element having a curve in its loop portion of more than 180 degrees and having longitudinal portions extending partway along the legs and resiliently bearing thereon a.

first means for interconnecting the element and said member, said means comprising a projection and an opening to receive the same so that said means is operative at one end of the member by movement of the element in a direction toward the other end of the member to prevent lateral shifting of the element relative to the memher, and a second means remote'from the first means for individually interconnecting the legs with said portions, including a projection and an opening to receive the same, at each leg, such that the second meansv is operative in a direction transverse to the legs and in the plane of resilience of the loops, the second means holding the first means in interconnected position, the second means being maintained in interconnected position by the pressure of said longitudinal portions on the legs.

2. A device including a member having legs consisting of plastic-material, one of the legs 3. A device including a bobby pin having legs of plastic material having curved portions forming a closed end for the pin, an external metallic U-shaped spring receiving the closed end of the pin and extending at least partly along the legs, a first means interconnecting the spring with the curved portions of the legs to prevent lateral movement between the pin and spring,

and a second means interconnecting the spring with the legs remotely from said curved portions to prevent relative movement between the spring and pin, the first and second means including releasable male and female means maintained engaged by the pressure of the spring urging the legs together.

4. A device including a bobby pin having legs of plastic material having curved portions forming a closed end for the pin, a metallic generally U-shaped, spring externally embracing the portion of the pin adjacent to the closed end thereof and urging the legs toward each other, and male and female releasably interengaging means between the pin and spring, said means being maintained engaged by the resilience of the spring urging the legs toward each other.

3 Y 5. A device according to claim 3, wherein the curved portions are separate 0! each other and are maintained in contact with each other by the spring, the curved portions having pivotal engagement with each other in expanding the pin.

SAMUEL BERMAN. VINCENT J. MACALUSO. 

